Slow Food Seattle

We’re delighted to award Ferndale Farmstead with the Snail of Approval award!

This family-run farmstead is a seed-to-cheese closed loop creamery committed to producing cheese that honors old world traditions while strengthening our regional food system. The Wavrin family stewards every step of the process – growing feed, raising the cows, and crafting each artisan cheese inspired by Italian heritage styles. Daniel Wavrin serves as head cheesemaker, carrying forward generations of cheesemaking knowledge while overseeing the production of the artisan cheeses. By using small-scale processes and traditional methods, Ferndale Farmstead preserves not only flavor, but also the cultural knowledge embedded in these foods. 

Ferndale Farmstead views environmental stewardship as a long term responsibility that shapes how they manage land, water, energy, and their animals. Farming practices prioritize soil health through no-till management and perennial grass systems, which protect soil structure, reduce erosion, and build resilience over time. Water conservation is also a central focus. Whey water produced during cheesemaking is reintegrated into the cows’ feed as a supplement, helping the farm supply approximately 90% percent of their cows’ nutritional needs, while all cow manure is recycled as organic fertilizer. These cheesemakers are committed to not only providing high quality artisan cheeses, but also leaving the land, community, and food system better than they found them. 

Congratulations to Daniel, Nidia, and the whole team at Ferndale Farmstead on their well-deserved recognition!

We’re delighted to celebrate Jones Creek Farms as a new Snail of Approval awardee!

Tucked into the Skagit Valley, Jones Creek Farms is a small, family-run orchard where good food begins with care; for the land, the fruit, and the people who come to gather it. Stewards Les and Lyn Price have been tending this farm since 1991, restoring its relationship with the surrounding ecosystem and cultivating a holistic approach that supports everything from healthy soil to the salmon-bearing creek that runs alongside it.

By growing locally adapted apple varieties like Gravenstein, McIntosh, and Northern Spy alongside pears, figs, peaches, and garlic, they’re able to farm in rhythm with their environment, using fewer inputs while producing deeply flavorful, nourishing fruit.

At the heart of Jones Creek Farms is the joy of connection. Their U-Pick orchard invites the community to slow down, step into the landscape, and experience the simple pleasure of harvesting fresh, tree-ripened apples. It’s an approach that not only makes fresh food more accessible but also builds lasting relationships between people and the source of their food. 

Whether you’re visiting the farm or finding them at the Capitol Hill Farmers Market, Jones Creek Farms offers something special: an invitation to eat well, live well, and savor the season.

Congratulations to Les and Lyn at Jones Creek Farms on this well-deserved recognition! 

Please join us in welcoming our latest awardee for the 2026 Snail of Approval: Salt Blade!

Bob Blade and his team believe in crafting the finest salamis, and doing it with the shortest supply chain possible. From farmer, to processor, to market, Salt Blade’s line of salamis are as hyper-local as they come.

Currently, Salt Blade sources ALL of their meat for their flagship salamis from a single farm. They are meticulous about the preservatives and processes they use for curing their products, eliminating nitrates and other additives whenever possible to create a product that is entirely traceable and downright tasty.

Though their salami technique is already, by design, very low waste, Salt Blade is committed to reducing waste even further. They constantly experiment with ways to make use of every ingredient they receive. They also look for ways to make their packaging more sustainable by collaborating with compostable packaging companies to look for an option that can last as long as their salamis.

While not bound to any particular tradition of salami making, Bob draws his inspiration from all over the world and pays homage to the ingredients and flavors by using the most ethical and organic ingredients and spices possible. The ethos of Salt Blade is centered around sustainable animal husbandry and transparent sources. In Bob’s own words, “We make it this way because we give a damn.”

Congratulations to Bob and the Salt Blade team on their well-deserved recognition!